Anguilla

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are taking any action to improve the supply of fresh water in Anguilla.

Baroness Warsi: The supply of fresh water in Anguilla is the devolved responsibility of the elected Government of Anguilla. However, through the Executive Council, the Governor works with elected Ministers to help improve local issues such as this.

Civil Servants: Foreign Languages

Baroness Hooper: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they will take to assess the foreign language skills of civil servants in each Government Department.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Individual government departments assess their own distinct business requirements for staff with foreign language skills. Currently no measures are taken to assess these levels and the information for each department is not held centrally. The Civil Service Reform and Capabilities plans, launched June 2012 and April 2013 respectively, set out a clear agenda for raising skill levels more generally. This includes an expectation that all staff undertake at least five days of learning and development each year, which can be used for language training if required. This information would therefore be recorded in individuals' development plans, within departments.

Dr Walter Rodney

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about the appointment of an international Commission of Inquiry into the assassination on 13 June 1980 of Dr Walter Rodney, Leader of the Working People’s Alliance in Guyana, announced by President Donald Ramotar on 13 June; and whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of documents they hold which relate to that crime.

Baroness Warsi: We are aware that on 12 June 2013, President Donald Ramotar declared his intention of establishing a Presidential
	Commission of Inquiry into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney on 13 June 1980. We understand that the groundwork has now begun into the establishment of the Commission. However, we have no further specific information at this time. Documents on the UK's bilateral relationship with Guyana from that era are available in the National Archives.

Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they are funding into the use of satellites for the detection, and possible early warning, of earthquakes and tsunamis; and what plans they have for closer collaboration on such projects with teams in Russia.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government has been supporting research into earthquakes and tsunamis using satellites. Earth Observation satellites are a powerful tool for wide-area detection of millimetre-scale ground movements associated with earthquake mechanisms. Similarly, navigation satellites can be used to detect movement in stations placed near active faults to within 5 mm. Earth Observation satellites can also identify the likely impact of tsunamis through analysis of the sea bed around coastlines vulnerable to tsunamis.
	Recently the Government, through the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), invested £5.5M for processing of data from the EU's Copernicus Earth Observation satellite system. This will input into a global record of ground motion measurements accurate to 1mm over 100km measuring distance which directly inputs to earthquake forecasting. The research team are partnering with another recent Government investment, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB)-funded satellite applications catapult, to ensure that there is a direct link to commercial services where appropriate.
	The UK Space Agency is working with Russia towards formalising collaboration on space activities in the form of an inter Governmental agreement. Although this will not contain specific reference to earthquake and tsunami early warning systems, the two research communities routinely collaborate through global co-operations such as the Group on Earth Observation and the Committee on Earth Observation satellites.

Egypt

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 23 September (WA 428), whether they will now give their assessment of the number of Coptic Christians leaving Egypt since 2010.

Baroness Warsi: The Coptic Orthodox Church of the UK has stated that 600,000 Copts have left Egypt since the early 1980s. We remain concerned that large numbers of Coptic Christians have left Egypt in recent years. However no official records are kept in Egypt and we have no means of verifying that number.

Export Licences

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any chemical export licences were granted to firms exporting to Syria in January 2012; whether any assessment was made as to the potential use of those chemicals as components of chemical weapons; what consideration was given to the ongoing unrest in Syria in assessing the export licence applications; and whether Ministers were consulted by officials before any export licences were granted.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Two Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were granted on 17 and 18 January 2012 authorising export of sodium fluoride and potassium fluoride. The licences were revoked on 30 July 2012 following the adoption of EU sanctions prohibiting the supply of these chemicals to Syria. No chemicals were exported under these licences before they were revoked.
	Each licence was assessed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and by other Government Departments with an interest as determined by those Department's own policy responsibilities against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, including whether there was a clear risk that they might be used for internal repression or be diverted for use in the manufacture of chemical weapons. In these cases the stated end-use for both chemicals was in metal finishing of aluminium profiles used for making aluminium showers, window frames, etc. This is a credible and legitimate use for these chemicals and consistent with the quantities licensed. The Government had no information at the time—and has received none since—to link the end-user to any chemical weapons programme in Syria. The licences were granted because there were no grounds for refusal against the Consolidated Criteria.
	Ministers were not consulted by officials before these export licences were granted, as no specific concerns about end-use had been identified.

Health: Neonatals

Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are taken within the National Health Service to assess the hearing of babies immediately following birth.

Earl Howe: The National Health Service Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP) was introduced in 2002, following advice from the UK National Screening Committee. The NHSP aims to identify all children born with moderate to profound permanent bilateral deafness within 4-5 weeks of birth and to ensure the provision of safe, high quality age-appropriate assessments and world class support for deaf children and their families.
	All parents of newborn babies should:
	- be offered a hearing screen for their child within 2 weeks of birth; and- should receive information about the screen.
	The NHSP is now directly commissioned by NHS England as part of the Section 7A agreement under the National Health Service Act (2006), as amended by the Health and Social Care Act (2012). It sets out the arrangements under which the Secretary of State for Health delegates to NHS England the responsibility for commissioning certain Public Health functions.

Hereditary Peerages and Titles: Succession Rights

Lord Pannick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to amend the law or practice relating to succession to hereditary peerages and hereditary titles to allow equal succession rights for men and women.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government has no plans to change the rules governing the descent of hereditary titles.

Iraq: Camp Ashraf

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what response they have received from the government of Iraq to their representation requesting an investigation into the violence at Camp Ashraf on 1 September.

Baroness Warsi: The Government of Iraq has told our Embassy in Baghdad that a committee will conduct a full and open investigation into the attack on Camp Ashraf on 1 September, and that its findings will be made public.

Iraq: Chilcot Inquiry

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the report of the Chilcot Inquiry into the war in Iraq to be published.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Sir John Chilcot advised the Prime Minister in July that the Inquiry would submit its report at the earliest opportunity once the “Maxwellisation” process, whereby any individual that the Inquiry intended to criticise would be informed of the Inquiry’s view and offered the opportunity to make representations, was complete. The Inquiry expected to begin that process at the end of July.

Israel and Palestine

The Lord Bishop of Coventry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of Palestinian children currently held in Israeli adult military detention centres.

Baroness Warsi: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold the information requested. According to the Palestinian human rights organisation Addameer, the number of Palestinian children in all Israeli detention facilities as of 1 August 2013 was 195.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to reverse Israeli seizures of Palestinian West Bank areas for further settlement expansion.

Baroness Warsi: We frequently raise our serious concerns about settlement expansion with the Israeli authorities, including at the highest level. This includes our concerns regarding Israeli appropriation of land in the West Bank, including privately-owned Palestinian land, for the building of settlements and at the high proportion of designated state land in the West Bank allocated by the Israeli authorities for settlements.

Montserrat

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much aid the Department for International Development has given to Montserrat since the Soufrière Hills volcano eruption; and what have been the benefits of that aid.

Baroness Northover: DFID has provided over £370m of assistance since 1995 for emergency support, construction activities in the safe north of the island, technical co-operation and budgetary support. Examples include support for the provision of basic services. including maintaining air and sea access; health and education; a volcanic observatory; housing; an airport; roads; improved and hurricane-resistant government offices, water and sanitation; tourism services; and infrastructure projects including exploratory drilling for geothermal energy.

NHS: General Practitioners

Lord Sharkey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 30 September (HL2159), what are the mechanisms by which general practitioners demonstrate that they are actively maintaining their skills and are aware of new clinical guidelines; how those demonstrations are assessed and by whom; and how many such attempts at demonstration fail in the course of a year.

Earl Howe: The General Medical Council (GMC) is required to evaluate the fitness-to-practise of all doctors holding a licence to practise medicine in the United Kingdom. Medical revalidation, which commenced on 3 December 2012, is the process by which the GMC will make an evaluation to renew a doctor's licence. This evaluation will usually happen every five years and all doctors who wish to hold a licence are required to participate in the process.
	For general practitioners, the revalidation process is overseen by the responsible officer (RO) in their Local Area Team of NHS England. Where there are concerns about a doctor keeping themselves up to date, the revalidation process requires ROs to identify and put in place appropriate arrangements to respond to any issues raised. The Department does not hold data on the number of doctors who do not complete the revalidation process.

North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what reassurances they have sought from the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust concerning its continued
	commitment to the acquisition of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust; and what are the reasons for, and consequences of, the delay.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the impact of the delay in the acquisition of the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust by the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust in terms of (1) cost, (2) operational effectiveness, (3) quality of service, (4) staff morale, (5) calibre of recruits, and (6) public confidence.

Earl Howe: The Department has made no estimate of the impact of the time it will take for the acquisition of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (FT).
	North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust was placed in special measures on 16 July 2013, following the review by Sir Bruce Keogh into trusts with the worst mortality statistics. Those trusts placed in special measures following the Keogh review have been partnered with high performing FTs to help the trusts get out of special measures; North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust has been partnered with Northumbria Healthcare NHS FT.
	I am advised that the transaction will not be supported by the NHS Trust Development Authority (NTDA) until all of the actions detailed within the Keogh report are delivered and North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust's performance is in a stable position. Regulatory approval by Monitor is also required in order to finalise the acquisition of an NHS Trust by an NHS FT.
	The NTDA is the organisation with responsibility for providing governance and accountability for NHS Trusts in England and the delivery of the FT pipeline. The noble Lord may wish to approach the Chief Executive of the NTDA which may hold some information on the acquisition process.

Post Office

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish a summary of public reactions to the plans to privatise the Post Office prior to any public offer for sale.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government has no plans to privatise the Post Office.

Post Office

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposal for the Post Office to remain in the public sector with additional powers to raise new capital in the markets independently of day-to-day HM Treasury control.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government is committed to keeping the Post Office in the public sector until it is ready for mutualisation.

Schools: Classroom Space

Lord Hunt of Chesterton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the minimum accepted area per child in English primary school classrooms; and what steps they are taking to increase the space available in classrooms.

Lord Nash: The Department does not set a minimum area per child in English primary classrooms.
	The recently published baseline designs indicate primary school classrooms of 62 square metres for 30 children, but these templates do not have to be followed by schools.

Schools: Expansion

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they give to local authorities about the priority to be given to accommodating parental choice when deciding which of their schools to expand.

Lord Nash: Parents can make representations about the supply of school places and local authorities have a statutory duty to respond to these representations.
	Under current legislation, both local authorities and school governing bodies can publish proposals to expand schools which are maintained by the local authority. A statutory process must be followed, which includes a local consultation and representation period, before a decision is taken, usually by the local authority. Academies are able to propose changes such as expansion, and follow a similar non-statutory process before the Secretary of State makes a final decision.
	Departmental guidance for decision makers, to which they must have regard when determining proposals about maintained schools, includes a presumption that proposed expansions of successful and popular schools should be approved. The guidance, ‘Expanding a Maintained Mainstream School by Enlargement or Adding a Sixth Form’ can be found on the Department for Education’s website. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
	We are currently consulting on new regulations which will give schools and academies the freedom to respond to parental demand and local need without following a statutory process (or for academies, without formally seeking agreement from the Secretary of State). There will remain a strong expectation that local consultation will be a part of the decision making process. This will be set out in guidance.

Schools: Outdoor Areas

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the importance of outdoor space, including soft play and habitat areas, for the learning, emotional, social and cultural development of pupils, as set out in Building Bulletin 99.

Lord Nash: There has been no assessment of the impact of the quality or quantity of outdoor space on the learning, emotional, social and cultural development of pupils since Building Bulletin 99 was published in 2006.

Schools: Outdoor Space

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have issued guidance to encourage local authorities to preserve existing outdoor space for school pupils wherever possible when planning building work and expansion at their schools.

Lord Nash: Prior to 2012, no protection at all existed to prevent schools putting school buildings on playing fields. Schools could build over playing fields without seeking consent and with impunity. This led to the disappearance of thousands of playing fields—Fields in Trust (formerly The National Playing Field Association) estimated 2,540 playing fields, or 26 sites a month, were lost between 1997 and 2005. This Government has introduced protections on playing fields where there were none before, so that schools and local authorities now have to seek permission if they want to change the use of public playing fields by putting school buildings on them. We now require schools to apply for consent even where the buildings are being used for education or recreational purposes.
	When considering applications to place school buildings on playing fields we take into account the amount of playing field a school will be left with after the building work, whether there will be any impact on sport and play, and the reason for the proposed change.

St Helena: Airport

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in the construction of the airport on St Helena.

Baroness Northover: Construction is progressing well and is currently on schedule to allow the airport to open in February 2016. Work on the major rock-fill embankment in Dry Gut to accommodate the runway is now 39% complete and construction of the terminal and services buildings commenced in August 2013.

St Helena: Airport

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the original budget estimate for building the airport on St Helena, and what is the current forecast cost.

Baroness Northover: The UK Government approved a grant of £201.5 million with an additional shared risk contingency of up to £10 million for the design and construction phase of the airport. The project is on track to deliver the construction phase within this budget.

Sudan

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will request the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate samples taken by the United Nations and Médecins sans Frontières following allegations of chemical weapons use by the Sudanese armed forces in the villages of Lainya and Loka in Yei county on and after 23 July 1999.

Baroness Warsi: We have no current plans to do so. We are not aware of any samples or other evidence that would support a referral to The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons asking them to investigate the allegations.

Sudan

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about the expulsion of 20 members of staff of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from Darfur in August 2013.

Baroness Northover: All staff in question have now received permits and are able to return to their duty stations in Darfur. However, these permits are only valid until the end of the year. We will continue to monitor the situation. Given the ongoing need for humanitarian support for the internally displaced across Darfur, we continue to press the Government of Sudan allow full access for humanitarian and development partners.

Syria

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the Geneva II Conference to achieve an armistice and peace in Syria to commence.

Baroness Warsi: The UN Secretary-General and the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council have agreed that the aim should be to convene a second Geneva conference by mid-November. The purpose of this would be to implement the Geneva Communiqué of June 2012, including agreeing the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers by mutual consent.

Syria

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to hold discussions with the government of the United States and other leading allies to accelerate the disposal of any remaining chemical weapon stocks still held by western countries, alongside the prohibition of such weapons for Syria.

Baroness Warsi: The UK regularly engages in discussions with States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, including the United States. Under the Convention, States Parties are required to declare any chemical weapons and related sites and facilities that they have, and provide a plan for their destruction. We encourage all those who have not yet completed the destruction of their declared chemical weapons to do so as soon as possible. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)'s Executive Council, of which the UK is a member, monitors progress towards completion of destruction.
	The decision of the OPCW's Executive Council passed on 27 September, and endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2118, ensures that the timelines for the destruction of Syria's programme are accelerated. This is only right for a country that has lied about its programme for decades, and where chemical weapons have been used regularly over the past year. The Decision sets out that all of Syria's chemical weapons are to be eliminated no later than the end of June 2014.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 23 September (WA 443–4), whether they will ask the government of Turkey how many journalists are being held in Turkish prisons for criminal offences.

Baroness Warsi: We have asked the Government of Turkey for an official estimate of the numbers of journalists in prison, but they have been unable to provide one.
	We and our EU partners will continue to regularly raise our concerns about the high number of journalists in prison with the Turkish authorities.
	The Turkish Government has itself recognised the need for reform in this area and has adopted a series of judicial reform packages which aim to address some of the underlying constraints to fundamental rights. The EU monitors these issues closely and, in Turkey's 2012 Annual Progress Report, welcomed steps taken and called for further progress to be made.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 29 August regarding the joint United Kingdom–Turkey fundamental rights training package (WA 384), by when they expect the impact evaluation of the project to be completed, and whether they will publish their findings.

Baroness Warsi: The project has now delivered seven training sessions, the study visit will take place in November, and a closing conference will take place in December 2013. The project is reviewed at regular intervals by the British Embassy in Ankara and a final report evaluating the project will be produced no later than three months after the closing date. Such reports, for projects under £100,000, are not usually published.